1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the field of desktop publishing and printing. More particularly, the present invention relates to certain methodology for controlling brand integrity as presented upon printed matter via an online publishing portal or networked system, which printed matter originates from geographically-spaced users.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Given an audible prompt comprising a readily identifiable word, an experienced (and vocal) typesetter is able to instantaneously dissect the word into its component letters and recite the component letters aloud alphabetically. The recitation is reflexive, requiring little, if any, cognitive effort. The skill is developed over time with day to day typesetting experience and is simply reflective of the typesetter's conditioned response to perpetual workload as driven by consumer demand. The process of typesetting involves the presentation of textual material in an aesthetic form on paper or some other media. Before the development of innovations such as the dot matrix, inkjet, and laser jet printers, printed material was produced in print shops. In spite of centuries of innovation, the principle of printing remains the same: either a particular part of the page is marked or not marked with ink. This has remained true at the microscopic level even for halftone and four-color printing. Typesetting is the technology of deciding which parts of the paper should be marked, and printing is the technology of making the marks. However, the two are not rigidly separated: for example, ink flows during the printing process, and type design has to take into account the dynamics of ink on paper.
With the advent of computers, the inevitability of inventive computer-based typographical methodologies became apparent and thus the skill here anecdotally described may very well be shelved and replaced with computer means. In this last regard, it will be noted that software developers continually develop electronic means for achieving inventive end results. Service industries, such as the printing industry, for example, have seen rapid growth in the use of web-based interface means for enabling consumers to order printing services and/or printed products. In this regard, a number of inventive systems and methods have been developed as a means to embrace consumer demands and provide the marketplace with quicker, more efficient ways to meet printing or publishing needs. Two of the more pertinent U.S. Patent disclosures describing web-based network methodologies for providing consumers of printed matter with quicker, more efficient ways to meet consumer demands are described hereinafter.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,611,349 ('349 Patent), which issued to Vogt et al., discloses a System and Method of Generating a Printing Plate File in Real Time using a Communication Network. The '349 Patent teaches a printing and publishing system which generates a printing plate ready file from data provided remotely in real time using a communication network. The printing and publishing system includes a central service facility and an end-user facility and/or a printing company facility. The end user facility provides page building operations allowing the design and construction of pages from images, text, and data available via the communication network. The central service facility provides storage, file processing, remote access, and content management operations. File processing operations include generating a plate-ready file from pages designed at the end user facility. The plate-ready file has a file format capable of high resolution and is ready for creation of a printing plate. The printing company facility provides printing operations for producing a printing plate from the plate-ready file.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,738,155 ('155 Patent), which issued to Rosenlund et al., discloses a System and Method of Providing Publishing and Printing Services via a Communications Network. The '155 Patent teaches a printing and publishing system providing prepress, content management, infrastructure, and workflow services to system subscribers in real time using a communication network. The printing and publishing system includes a central service facility and an end-user facility and/or a printing company facility. The end user facility provides page building operations allowing the design and construction of pages from images, text, and data available via said communication network. The printing company facility provides imposition operations allowing the setting of pages on a particular plate as well as positioning and orientation of pages on said plate. The central service facility provides storage, file processing, remote access, and content management operations. Content management operations include the capture, organization, archival, retrieval, and reuse of electronic files containing any one of text, graphics, photos, artwork, full pages, audio, video, and completed projects. Content management operations further include the organization and cataloging of file content for browsing, searching, and retrieving of files and data.
From a review of these prior art disclosures and from a general consideration of other pertinent prior art generally known to exist, it will be seen that the prior art does not disclose a web-based or network-based system for providing plate-ready digital files comprising branded portions and offering portions wherein the branded portions are controlled by a singular, ubiquitous source of control and wherein the offering portions are controlled by a plurality of localized control sources on an as-needed basis. In this regard, it is noted that brand integrity often suffers unintentionally when brand owners have geographically-spaced licensed operators, each of whom has localized business concerns and who may make otherwise seemingly unfettered use of a designated brand or trade dress. If proper control over the use of a mark or brand is weak or unstructured, the mark's or brand's value as a reliable source identifier of a particular product or service wanes. Indeed, in an extreme case, where a mark or trade dress is used without adequate control, restriction, or supervision, the mark or trade dress may be considered or construed as having been abandoned by its owner and thus free for others to use.
Brand integrity is thus of paramount importance and value to brand owners as a reliable source identifier of a particular product or service and thus a need continually exists to ensure brand integrity in the printing/publishing industry. Printers or publishers in various locales receive orders for printed matter bearing brand information via localized licensed operators. Neither the printer nor the localized licensee may fully realize the import of maintaining brand integrity and thus the brand owner may suffer a loss in intellectual property value if measures are not taken to preserve the value inherent in branded printed matter.
As is noted in the '155 Patent, the steps for producing printed materials using a plate process include (1) preparing copy elements for reproduction, (2) prepress production, (3) plate making, (4) printing, and (5) binding, finishing and distribution. In this printing production process, an “end user”, such as, publishers, direct marketers, advertising agencies, and corporate communication departments, prepares copy elements for reproduction. In this “design” stage of the printing process, the end user provides images and data using slides or computer files to create one or more “pages”. Pages can be designed using computer programs such as QUARKXPRESS or other publishing software packages. Slides or computer disks containing pages to be printed have traditionally been sent via a carrier to be prepared for creation of a plate.
In the prepress production stage, the end user input (or “copy”) is transformed into a medium that is reproducible for printing. Typically, prepress involves typesetting, illustration, page building and design, image capture, image color correction, file conversion, RIPing, trapping, proofing, imposition, filmsetting, and plate setting. “Proofing” involves producing a proof, or sample, of what the printed product will look like. The proof is sent by mail or express carrier to the end user for review and approval. After alterations are made, new proofs are sent to the end user. Once approval of the proof is given by the end user, a medium, such as a computer to plate (CTP) file is produced and sent to the printer. “Imposition” involves the set of pages on a particular plate as well as their positioning and orientation. Imposition is particularly important in the creation of booklets or catalogs, where pages are positioned using register marks to assist in the stripping, collating, and folding of the printed product. In the plate making stage, a “printer” manufactures a printing plate using the medium created during prepress. Where a CTP file is used, the printer converts the CTP file into a printing plate or goes directly to a digital press. In the printing stage, the printer uses the printing plate to create the printed product. In the binding, finishing and distribution stage, the printed product is prepared in its final form.